Christian warriors for the Lord are ministering to bikers this weekend

FRANK MATZKERecord Correspondent

Published Friday, March 05, 2004

The St. Augustine chapter of the Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA) will host a fellowship event at the St. Augustine Harley-Davidson and Buell Shop, 2575 State Road 16, Saturday in conjunction with Bike Week activities in this area.

"The Harley shop provides the food and drinks, and we serve it to the public," says Bowers. "The shop introduces the perfect forum for us to minister to the biker community because many bikers don't go to church."

The chapter commonly ministers for the monthly gatherings at the shop.

Eagle said, during their Biketober Fest event, 22 servants of sanctity served about 500 visitors. He witnessed, he says, several salvations that weekend.

The Florida CMA, to date, has facilitated about 700 salvations, according to Victoria Bowers. Florida has 23 chapters.

"We have encountered many people needing someone to listen, and we want to help," Eagle continues.

"I'm proud to serve them."

Eagle and the Kingdom warriors will be busy this year because about 500,000 bikers are expected to travel to St. Augustine and Daytona Beach for Bike Week, according to the Daytona Beach city manager's office.

The enthusiasts will also spend about $3 million in Northeast Florida, according to the Daytona Beach chamber.

"We don't have any empty rooms," Linda Abbott, special events administrator for the St. Augustine and St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, said.

Abbott added she enjoyed working with members of the CMA chapter during the Christmas parade.

The local chapter does attract other CMA members who help generate tourist dollars, Abbott adds.

However, spending isn't the primary goal of the CMA and the local Harley shop owners. Saving souls prevails over money.

"I always like to share Jesus with everybody I can," Myrtle Hollingsworth, co-owner with her husband, J.A., of the Harley-Davidson and Buell Shop of St. Augustine, said. "They share the Lord's will by their actions. They are a subtle and polite group," she said.

Visitors from all walks of life have traveled to her shop and to the CMA events, she adds.

"In the end, it all goes together," she said.

The international CMA gathers 100,000 bikers under one umbrella of God. The CMA Web site states it has 700 chapters sprinkled throughout the United States and in 13 countries.

The group is based in Hatfield, Ariz.

CMA sprang to life around 1975, the Web site said, as ministry for the Lord.

To minister the Lord's word, a potential member must view six separate videotapes and successfully fill out the CMA application, according to Wendy McDaniel, CMA media relations representative. Following these tasks, the baptized warrior will then be able to wear the CMA "colors" or patch.

"We change the world one heart at a time," McDaniel said.

She said CMA members travel to secular rallies and earn the privilege to witness to bikers. For example, they gather trash and they cook, and through these deeds they serve Jesus.

Other charitable acts include the "Run for The Son" fund-raising event. Last year, $1 million was raised for CMA. Forty percent of the revenue was spent in the United States on religious materials.

The remainder was donated to international ministries. This year the iron horse angels will also sponsor a medical mission to Africa.

Following that they plan to build four schools in Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador, according to McDaniel.